


He's Alive?

by themarveledwriter



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/M, Heavy Angst, Mutant Powers, Mutant Reader, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-10-30 03:49:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17821301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themarveledwriter/pseuds/themarveledwriter
Summary: Reader is Bucky’s boyfriend. Reader can see the dead. Something terrible happens.





	1. This Can't Be Happening

“Hey Doll,“

Y/n turns around quickly to see her boyfriend of four years, James Buchanan Barnes, standing in the doorway to her bedroom. Dressed in his tactical gear, covered in blood and grime.

“Babe, what are you doing here I tho- I thought you were on a mission… Why are you back so soon? Is everyone all right? Why didn’t FRIDAY tell me you were back? What happened?” Y/n says, getting more and more worried. You knew the mission wouldn’t be over for a few more weeks.

When all that Bucky can say is, “I- I’m sorry” before falling to his knees and breaking down, that’s when you knew something had gone horribly wrong.

Thinking something awful had happened to Steve or one of the others, Y/n rushes towards Bucky, ready to bring him comfort from whatever horrors had happened on this mission… But when her hands go straight through his body, she knows exactly what happened.

“Babe?” Y/n whispers. “Babe no, no no no. This can’t be happening… You can’t be… You can’t be dead! You can’t.. you can’t!” As you get more frantic, trying desperately to grab onto the love of your life, you don’t hear FRIDAY warning you about the incoming jet, or your phone ringing frantically while Steve tries to call you… All you can focus on is that the person you love is dead.

You notice however when Bucky starts to fade in and out of existence. Your powers make the dead appear they are still alive, but only to you, and you can’t touch them. You had been practicing with Wanda to show those around you who you were seeing, but so far you could only project fuzzy images, and no one else could ever hear what the person was saying. So when you can no longer hear Bucky yelling your name, you no longer know what to do.

As Bucky looks at you one last time, the door to your apartment swings open, hitting the wall with such force you are sure there is a hole in the wall. By the time Steve runs into your room, Bucky has disappeared.

You jump up and run into Steve’s arms with such force it knocks the wind out of you.

“He was here… He was just here… Where did he go? Steve. Steve! Where did Bucky go?! He’s dead! I know he’s dead! I should be able to see him! Where did he go!?” By the time you’re done talking you are punching Steve in the chest. Knowing you are just hurting yourself, he grabs you by the wrists.

“He’s not dead, not yet! They injured him, but he isn’t dead!” Steve says to you, trying his hardest to calm you down.

“I saw him Stevie! I saw him! I only see the dead!” You yell back at him, too scared to believe what he is saying.

“He flat-lined on the way back! Banner was able to bring him back, he is critical Y/n, but alive.” Steve tells you, letting go of your wrists.

“He’s alive?”


	2. Bring Me to Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve brings you down to the medbay... as always, things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! This story wasn’t originally made to be multi-chapter but lets go!
> 
> This is also my first attempt at posting from my phone... if something looks wrong let me know in the comments! Feedback is always appreciated!

“He’s alive?”

He’s alive. He’s alive. He’s alive! 

That’s all you can think about while Steve drags you to the medbay.

Your love is alive. 

“Y/n you need to walk by yourself or I will pick you up.” Steve tells you, you hadn’t even realized you had stopped walking. 

When you didn’t reply or move, Steve picked you up bridal style and sprinted toward the medbay. He could move faster that way and we got to the medbay in record time. When Steve stepped into the medbay, you could hear everyone talking, when they saw you in his arms it went silent. 

You could hear footsteps coming toward you quickly, and Bruce saying something to Steve before everything went black. 

~Steve’s POV~

I knew what to expect when I walked into Y/n’s room. I knew she had seen Bucky when he flatlined. Bucky would have gone straight to her when he found out he was dead. Her not answering her phone and FRIDAY saying she couldn’t get a response was just the confirmation I needed. 

I found her on the floor of her bedroom, crying and looking around frantically. When she saw me she jumped into my arms, crying about Bucky, so she had definitely seen him. I told her he was alive, critical but alive, and all I could hear her say was, “He’s alive?” before she broke down again. 

We got out into the hallway to go to the medbay, and she seemed okay for a while, but when she started dragging her feet and mumbling incoherently, I knew something was wrong.

I stopped walking and pulled Y/n around to look at me. Her eyes were glazed over and her head was lolling to the side. I tried to get her to walk and warned her I would carry her if she didn’t. I saw a blink of recognition in her eyes before they lost focus again. I picked her up and ran to the medbay where Bucky was getting operated on. 

When I walked in, all the worried chatter stopped. Everyone saw Y/n, but Bruce was the first to walk towards me to see what was wrong.

“What happened Steve?” The doctor said. 

“I got to her room, and she was reaching for something, or I guess someone, who wasn’t there. When I told her he was okay, she seemed okay all things considered but when we started running here, she stumbled and started mumbling, when I stopped her, her eyes were glazed over and her head was lolling to the side so I picked her up and ran here.” Steve said, trying to keep calm but when he noticed she was unconscious, he started breathing faster. 

Bruce checked her pulse and told Steve to place her on a bed. “She’s in shock, which is understandable after seeing someone you love dead. We need to keep her warm and comfortable and she should be okay. I’ll put a heart monitor and an oxygen mask on her for now to be safe.”

Steve gently laid her down. He tucked a piece of her (h/l) (h/c) hair out of her face before turning to check on Bucky.

~Y/n’s POV~

You woke up to total silence, which was good considering the killer headache you were sporting. You noticed the cool air on your face from the oxygen mask that was covering your mouth and nose, you could also feel wires leading to your chest and finger. When you tried to open your eyes, you noticed the bright fluorescent lights above you and slammed them shut.

“FRIDAY, dim the lights, please.” You croaked out, voice ragged from disuse. Trying to talk was a struggle. When you finished talking the door to your room slammed into the wall. Groaning, you opened your eyes to see Steve.

“Y/n, you’re awake!” Steve said, looking relieved. “You gave us all a scare.”

Confused, you tried to sit up further, but Steve stopped you. 

“Y/n please lay back down. FRIDAY page Dr. Banner for me, please.” He said. 

“Of course, Captain.” FRIDAY replied, trying to be quiet. “Also, perhaps you should lower your voice, Miss Y/n seems to have pain related to sound and light.” The AI said smartly.

Steve looks back toward you, giving you a sheepish grin. “Sorry Y/n, I’ve just been worried.” 

“It’s okay Steve… how long have I been out?” Then, remembering what had landed you where you were, you panicked. “Bucky! Where’s Bucky!? Is he okay!? Steve where is he!?” 

You could hear the machines tracking your heart rate speed up and become louder. Steve stepped forward and grabbed your hands to calm you down. 

“Y/n, it’s okay! It’s fine! You’ve been unconscious for nearly three days. Bucky is fine. He was shot multiple times in the back on the mission and flat lined on the way back here. He went into surgery to remove the bullets and has spent two days in the cradle. He is out now and is in the ICU. We can go see him but I’ll warn you he doesn’t look great. He’s on a ventilator and they had to remove his arm because one bullet severed a nerve receptor to his arm… He’s not out of the woods yet Y/n.”

“Take me to him”


	3. The Accident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How did y/n get powers. How did she meet America's Golden Boy and Sergeant Barnes? This is how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ummmm. I may have gone a little overboard on this chapter. It has 1,404 words... Whoops! 
> 
> Next chapter will be up soon!

~Y/n’s POV~

 

After a doctor checks me over and removes all the wires and tubes, we are on our way.

We walk down the hall; me leaning heavily on Steve. I was trying to keep my breathing steady but I could tell it was slowly speeding up.

“Y/n, doll, ya gotta breathe okay? Buck would kill me if you suffocated on my watch.” Steve says, his Brooklyn accent becoming slightly more pronounced in his worry.

I look up at him and try to match my breathing to his. “I’m okay, I’m just nervous. I saw him Steve, in my room. I didn’t even know he was dead… I thought you finished the mission early. B-but he apologized… said he was sorry and just collapsed! I thought you were hurt or something else but I never would have guessed that he was dead!”

Steve stops walking and pulls me into his chest… Me and Steve have an almost sibling relationship. He’s the one that recruited me. I’d been in a car accident, a pileup caused by a drunk driver, it crushed eight cars like soda cans and a few cars had gone into the ditch. I was lucky, wearing a seatbelt and getting hit in just the right places that I only ended up with a concussion and some bruised ribs.

~Flashback~

I was in the ER when others from the crash were being brought in; I had to wait in a waiting room with others who weren’t fatally injured. I knew something was wrong when I heard voices, people screaming but no one reacting to it.

I stuck my head around the corner so I could see where the ambulance was parked. I saw a girl with bright blue hair and covered in blood running after a gurney, crying and screaming that _something was not right_ … When I looked at the person laying on the gurney, I saw that it was the same blue-haired girl. She obviously wasn’t breathing, and a piece of metal was sticking out of her side. I held back a scream and ran back to the waiting room.

When I was discharged, I was constantly looking for anything suspicious, and when I visited my friend in the hospital after she gave birth, the same thing happened. I saw people that no one else saw wondering the halls in hospital gowns. After that incident I went home and locked myself away in my room. Two days later, at almost midnight I got a knock on my door, Captain FREAKING America and The Winter Soldier stood in my doorway.

I didn’t know what to do, two super-hot super-soldiers from the 1940s standing in MY doorway! Both wearing their tactical suits. Steve didn’t have his shield, I’m guessing so he wouldn’t intimidate me, but Bucky’s arm was on full display. I’m not going to lie and say I was completely comfortable around him at first, I never thought it was his fault about what happened to him with HYDRA, but all I knew about him was what I’d seen in the new, where he was always portrayed as a vicious killer, a danger to society.

“Hey, I’m Steve Rogers, this here is James Barnes. We were wondering if we could talk to you.”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” You say looking at Steve, but your eyes keep flickering over to Bucky. “Why would you need to talk to me? I mean you’re Captain America…”

Steve gives you a sheepish grin. But when your eyes flicker back to Bucky, he has an almost melancholy look on his face. When he catches you looking at his arm, he looks down at his feet. “Can we come in? We just need a quick chat.” Steve says, flashing you a boyish grin.

You look at his face, not knowing what this is about but knowing it can’t be good. “I guess, I feel like I can’t exactly say no to _America’s Golden Boy…_ now can I?”

Steve’s face flushed red. “I mean you have every right too, but I think you might want to hear what we have to say.”

“Come on in, make yourselves at home. You can sit on the couch. Do you want anything? I was about to make some tea before I heard you knock.

Steve declines, but I see Bucky’s head perk up. I had a feeling he wouldn’t say anything even if he did want some. I felt bad, knowing I probably made him uncomfortable with my staring.

I come back five minutes later with two cups of tea, setting one down in front of Bucky, who looks up from his feet, surprised.

“You didn’t say anything, but I’m pretty good at reading people. If you don’t want it don’t worry, don’t feel obligated to drink it.” You say with a small smile, sitting in a chair across from him instead of Steve, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. When he whispers “Thank you” and blushes before picking up the mug, you feel butterflies in your stomach.

“You said you wanted to talk… About what? I feel like getting a visit from Captain America and Sergeant Barnes isn‘t a common thing.” You say, purposefully calling him _Sergeant Barnes_ instead of the Winter Soldier. You saw his eyes widen slightly and corner of his mouth quirk up in a barley-there smile out of the corner of your eye when you said the title.

Steve looks at you with a small grin before putting on a serious face. When he puts his elbows on his knees and leans forward, you start to get worried.

“You were in a car accident a few months back, correct?” He asks, and at your nod, continues. “Did anything unusual start happening after that incident? Have you… maybe seen anything?”

My heartbeat picks up speed, there is no way they know about the people I’ve been seeing. I have no family to tell, and none of my friends know. The only difference in my life before and after the accident is I avoid hospitals and funerals, and I stay home more.

My eyes flicker from him to Bucky, who now has his eyes locked on me instead of the floor. “What do mean seeing things? I wasn’t even seriously injured. I’m fine.” I say, trying to keep my voice steady, but I could tell I was speaking faster than normal.

“Doll, we can tell you’re lyin’… Your heartbeat is speedin’ up like crazy.” It was the first time Bucky had talked all night besides the whispered _thank you_.

You couldn’t breathe. This was it, they thought you were a freak and were going to lock you up for the rest of your life. Worst part is, is there will be no one to miss you, family died years ago, only a few friends that you hadn’t talked to since the accident. No one would look for you… Your eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape, but how were you going to get away from two super-soldiers?!

Bucky knelt down in front of you, trying to make himself look smaller but you couldn’t help but flinch away. His eyes looked sad for a moment, but he carried on. “Doll, just breathe. Nothing will happen that you don’t want to. We know about you seeing dead people, and I get that has to be scary. We can help you, help you control it, but you gotta let us.”

He sounded so sincere. When I looked back at Steve, I could tell he it surprised him too.

You were scared, you’d been scared since the day of the accident. You just wanted to be _normal_ again.

“You can help me?” Voice breaking, tears gathering in your eyes. “You can really help me? Not lock me up?”

Steve stands up, ready to comfort you, but Bucky beats him to it.

“No, we won’t lock you up. We want to help you. The Avengers, they can help you. I promise.”

You could tell he was being honest. You looked from him to Steve. Steve gave you an encouraging nod.

“Okay”

~End of Flashback~


	4. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and angst and sweet Bucky Barnes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe... It's been a while... sorry! I was gonna update on the 10th but things happened soo. Happy late 102nd Birthday James Buchanan Barnes!

~Y/n’s POV~

Steve pulls me away from his chest, ending the hug and bringing me back to the present.

“Let’s go see your guy okay?” Steve says, giving me a reassuring smile.

The walk from my observation room to the ICU is long. The observation rooms are more accessible. More doctors and nurses can treat the patients up there, but the ICU is more restricted. The only visitors allowed are the Avengers and doctors and nurses have to be approved by Dr. Cho, Tony and Bruce. 

During the walk I can’t help but think back to my first time in the Tower. I miss the tower; it had so many memories. Good and bad. It’s where I first leaned about the extent of my powers. It’s also where my relationship with Bucky first started.

~Flashback~

~Y/n’s POV~

  
Living at the tower was… interesting. 

  
I left with Steve and Bucky the night they came to my apartment. I didn’t have any family; my parents and sister having been killed in a drive-by shooting when I was 18, and since I was between jobs, there was no one to miss me. I packed a duffle bag with the clothes I’d need for a few days and the pictures I had of my family, since Steve assured me Tony would have someone bring the rest of my things to the tower. 

Bucky hadn’t said a word after his reassurances that I would be fine. Steve followed me around the house while I packed, explaining things about the tower and what would happen when I got there, but Bucky had gone out and stood by the front steps. There was a few times when his bulky stature would cast shadows through my windows that made me jump and put me on edge. Even though he had been helpful in calming me down, he was still intimidating. 

When I had finished packing, Steve took my bag and put it in the back of the black SUV. I followed Steve around to the driver’s side, intending on sitting behind him in the back seat, but when we crossed around to the other side, something caught my eye. 

There was a young man in all black standing in the middle of the street. 

He was staring directly at Bucky, who seemed oblivious. Bucky’s eyes were constantly scanning his surroundings; a habit I guessed he picked up from his time as the Soldier, but it was as if the man wasn’t there.

I must have been staring, because when I felt a large hand suddenly grip my shoulder, I whipped around to see Steve looking at me with concerned eyes. 

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He asked in a calming voice. I couldn’t keep my head from turning to look at the road, and when I did, the man was gone. I turned and looked back at Steve, and then at Bucky, who also had a look of worry on his face. I took a deep breath and opened the car door. 

Giving the two super soldiers a small smile, I said. “It’s fine. Nothing’s there.”… Not a total lie, there wasn’t anything there anymore. 

As I got into the car, I could see Steve and Bucky give each other concerned looks.

When we got to the tower, Steve opened my door. Bucky had gone around to the back to get my duffle bag. 

I couldn’t help but quickly scan the area for anything suspicious. I thought I caught a glimpse of the same man standing behind one of the cars further down the row. I quickly looked away and walked towards the door. I didn’t want Steve or Bucky thinking I really was crazy.

When I entered the Tower, Steve quickly directed me towards an elevator. The ride was quick, but with both Steve and Bucky standing behind me I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I could feel the heat radiating off of them. They had made it out to seem that me being at the Tower was fine, but the tension in the elevator was so thick it felt like someone was sitting on my chest.

I was getting nervous. I didn’t know these people. They were strong and confident. With skills and powers like no one had ever seen. I was just a freak. 

I couldn’t breathe. It felt like someone was strangling me. It was too hard to get air in, the edges of my vision started going black. I felt like my legs were going to give out. Before I could process what happened, I was sitting on the floor of the elevator with The Winter Soldier staring me in the eyes.

~Bucky’s POV~

I could tell she had seen something in the road outside her house, but I wasn’t going to push her to tell us. 

The car ride to the Tower wasn’t bad. It wasn’t that long of a drive and she was obviously tired. It being so late at night there was very little traffic, just the usual Taxi and late night commuter. 

When she got out of the car, I saw her eyes flicker to something further down in the row of cars. I didn’t ask her about it. I hadn’t talked to her at all since we’d been in her living room. So I expected the tension I felt during the elevator ride. What I didn’t expect, was for her to break down.

I don’t even know if she was aware of what happened. Me and Steve got into the elevator first. When she got on and the doors shut, I could hear her heartbeat speeding up. I didn’t think much about it at first, it was understandable, she had just left her life behind, and was now in a small, enclosed space with Captain America and an ex-Hydra assassin, I honestly would have been more worried if she was totally relaxed. I knew she wasn’t totally comfortable around me, and was worried that I was frightening her, so I squeezed myself into the corner and made myself as small as possible. 

The ride shouldn’t be very long. Avenger’s floor was close to the top, but Stark’s tech was good. You could barely feel the movement even though we were going very fast. I was hoping it would be over before she could freak herself out, but that, unfortunately didn’t happen.

I could hear when her breaths got shorter, and when her heartbeat started getting dangerously high, I knew something was wrong. When her breathing stopped all together, I reached a hand out to lay on her shoulder, intent on turning her around, but she collapsed before my hand even touched her. 

When she hit the ground, I heard her try to take a deep breath, but all that she could get in was a wheeze, a wheeze that sounded a lot like when Steve would have an asthma attack before the serum.

I quickly bent down beside her. When she saw me out of the corner of her eye she quickly flinched away, her back hitting the wall of the elevator. Normally when someone would flinch away, I would leave them alone; let someone else deal with the person who was frightened, but I knew she needed help and needed it fast.

I quickly moved in front of her so she could see my face. I didn’t want to scare her anymore. “Y/n, what’s wrong? You’re okay. You need to take a deep breathe.” 

I could tell she was trying to speak, but she couldn’t get enough air in. I knew what a panic attack looking like, having experienced them myself multiple times. I could tell that she was not only having a panic attack, but at this point she was definitely having an asthma attack too. I was struggling not to be pulled into a flashback of little Steve in bed struggling to breathe, and the only thing that prevented it was the girl in front of me. 

“Y/n, you’re having an asthma attack. Do you have an inhaler?” I asked. Trying to keep my voice calm. 

She nodded and pointed at the duffel bag I had dropped. I opened one of the small pockets and started digging. When I found the small device, I held it to her mouth and made her take a deep breath of the medicine. When it was easier for her to get air in, I had her do a second dose, remembering what to do from when Steve would have attacks in the 30s and 40s.

At some point during the attack, the elevator doors had opened. I felt myself being pushed away from Y/n. I grabbed the persons shoulder, trying to get back to Y/n, but Steve stopped me. When I realized it was Dr. Banner in front of Y/n, and tried to calm down, knowing she needed his help.

She had calmed down enough by then, and Bruce was asking her questions. When she finally stood up, I felt like I could finally breathe myself. I didn’t know why I was so worried for this girl I barely knew.

Bruce started leading her towards the medbay, but when I went to follow her, a hand wrapped around my wrist. Steve had stopped me, I was about to rip my hand away and follow when he began talking. 

“You need to give her space. She just had an asthma attack and a panic attack. Bruce will take care of her… We need to brief the team.”

I had to take a deep breath. I knew she’d be well taken care of, but I couldn’t help but worry. When I turned down the hall to look at her, I saw her looking over her shoulder at me, when we locked eyes, she gave me a small smile. 

~Y/n’s POV~

Bucky helped me through an asthma attack. He was able to calm me down enough to get air in. I never would have thought the assassin I’d seen in the news would be that gentle. I had heard so many awful things about this man, that he was ruthless… a murderer, but I’ve never had someone speak so calmly during an attack. Usually the person helping me is frantic, which just makes it harder to breathe, but not Bucky.

When a man named Dr. Banner pushed his way in front of Bucky to ask me questions, I saw Bucky go to pull him away. He was trying to protect me…

Dr. Banner explained he would take me to the medbay to check me over. He said he thought it would be smart for me to do a nebulizer treatment. When I stood up, I could see Bucky take a deep breath. When I walked away, I could see Bucky try to follow me but Steve stopped him. When Steve stopped talking to him, he looked at me… I couldn’t help but wish he was coming with me. All I could do was give him a small smile, and hope I would see him soon.

In the medbay, Dr. Banner set me up in a bed… he checked my blood pressure and gave me a mask for the nebulizer. He obviously had more questions, and he kept looking at me over his shoulder. I really didn’t want to talk about my powers, and I was getting shakey from the Albuterol I was breathing in.  I wanted to go to bed even though I knew sleep wouldn’t come easy because of the medication. It still worried me they would lock me up if I did something wrong. 

Right when my nebulizer finished, I heard the doorknob of my room click. The door swings open to reveal Bucky, but he stays in the doorway, I could tell he was still worried about making me uncomfortable. 

I figured now was as good of a time as any to ask what would happen when I could leave the medbay. So I gave Bucky my most sincere smile, which wasn’t hard at all, and said, “So what happens now? Do I have to stay here or do I have a ce… room that I’ll be staying in?” 

I could see Bucky’s eyebrows knit together when I almost said cell. I instantly wanted to wipe that look off his face. I didn’t want him to think I didn’t trust him; he had been nothing but kind since we met. 

“Once Banner says you can leave, I can grab one of the girls to show you where you’ll be staying. I had Wanda take your bag to your room, we put you on her floor for now.” Bucky says, giving me a small smile. 

“Why can’t you show me? Where do you live?” I ask, suddenly worried about being away from him. I didn’t understand my own reaction, I barely knew this man, but I didn’t want him to leave me.

He looked taken aback, like he wasn’t expecting me to want to be near him. He looked down then back at me before talking. " Um, we just thought you’d be more comfortable with her. She’s the closest in age to you… and she’s really nice and cares a lot for people. I think you’ll really like her. I can go get her, you can meet her now.” 

I couldn’t help the small smile that was forming on my face at his rambling, but when he turned to leave, it dropped off my face.

“No! Wait it’s fine! I just was wondering.” I didn’t really want him to know the real reason that I was asking. 

He turns back around to look at me, “Okay… I’m two floors up from her. I share a floor with Steve.” 

“Oh, okay… Um, do you want to sit until Dr. Banner comes back? Uh… I don’t want to be alone right now. I get really jittery when I have to take Albuterol and with the… other thing… I really don’t want to be alone.” 

I wasn’t sure why I was telling him all this; I didn’t even address my…   condition…  with Dr. Banner. I just felt comfortable with Bucky, which was weird… considering what I’ve heard about him. 

Again, Bucky looked taken aback. He looked unsure, and for a while I thought he would turn and walk out, so I looked down at my hands to hide my upset, but when I heard the chair beside my bed cream, I couldn’t help the bright smile that spread across my cheeks when I looked at him. When he grinned back, with an actual toothy smile, I felt the same butterflies from earlier. 

We sat there in comfortable silence for a while. Me mostly focusing on the shaking of my hands, but as we sat there, I started over-thinking things again. I’m guessing Bucky could hear my heartbeat and breathing speeding up again, because he reached over and gently took my hands in his. When I didn’t flinch, he gave me a small grin. 

“Doll, you will be fine. We will help you, I know this is scary… coming to a place you don’t know, but I- we will help you.” I couldn’t help but smile when he said ‘I’. 

He kept talking, telling me stories from his childhood. I kept ahold of his metal hand, running my fingers over the plates. I was worried about making him uncomfortable, but when I looked over at him he was grinning down at our hands.

I felt myself getting sleepy. The mix of Bucky’s calming presence, his voice, and his hand in mine putting me at ease despite the medication. I quickly fell asleep.

~Bucky’s POV~

“Steve! I just want to see her! I need to know she’s okay!” I snap at my oldest friend. I had been panicking since they had led away her. I needed to calm down, I didn’t need the Soldier making an appearance after so long. 

Steve turned to me with a sympathetic look on his face. “I know Buck, but she needs to be isolated for now. We need to monitor her…”

I cut Steve off with a snap, “I promised her Steve! I promised she wouldn’t be locked up! I said we’d help her! Keeping her secluded from everyone is just as bad! She’s just a kid! I was her age when Zola first captured me, I know how it feels to be scared! She has been poked enough for tonight… I am going to see her.” I give Steve a no-nonsense look, begging him to not argue. 

“Yeah, Buck she is scared! You think the Winter Soldier showing up in her hospital room will put her at ease?” Steve snaps, but instantly regrets it when he sees the sad look on Bucky’s face.

Bucky looks at his feet, “She didn’t seem afraid of me earlier. I’m just worried. I’ll tell her about her room and if she looks uncomfortable at all I will book it out of there. You can come too… I-I’m worried about her Stevie that’s all.”

“I know Buck, I’m sorry that was out of line… You can go tell her she’s staying on Wanda’s floor but if she seems nervous at all I’m yanking you out of there, if she doesn’t relax we’ll never learn anything from her.” Steve says, using his ‘I’m the Captain’ voice.

I nod at him and start walking toward the Medbay, hearing his steps a few feet behind me. I arrived outside her room, and looking through the small one-way mirror I saw she was finishing up her medicine. When I saw that she was all right it felt like a weight was lifted from my chest. 

When I reached for the doorknob, I noticed the door was locked from the outside. Turning around I glare at Steve, who had stopped about five feet back.

“Seriously!? I fucking promised her she wouldn’t be locked up! What if she had tried to open the door? She’d have totally lost any trust she had in us? You stupid punk!”

I glare at Steve then turn and open the door.

I stay in the doorway, not wanting to crowd her. When she looked up, she gave me the most beautiful smile, one that made my stomach do flips, but she quickly turned somber again.

“So what happens now? Do I have to stay here or do I have a ce… room that I’ll be staying in?” She questioned. I couldn’t help but scowl at her slip up. She still didn’t trust that we weren’t going to lock her up. 

I wanted to reassure her that we weren’t going to lock her up, but decided to pretend I didn’t hear her slip up. "Once Banner says you can leave, I can grab one of the girls to show you where you’ll be staying.” I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by forcing her to spend time with me. “I had Wanda take your bag to your room, we put you on her floor for now.”

I really wanted to have her stay on the floor I share with Steve. I’d been arguing with Steve since Bruce led Y/n away that she should stay on our floor. She could stay in one of the apartments on the other side of the floor, but Steve wouldn’t hear it. He said because of my nightmares I was “too dangerous”. By putting her on Wanda’s floor she was still close, but also with someone who was gentle and kind, not cold and hard like me. 

When she heard where she’d be staying, I saw panic flash on her face. She looked terrified. I thought I did something to scare her and heard Steve take a few steps toward me. I was preparing to get pulled away by Steve when I heard her say, "Why can’t you show me? Where do you live?”

I heard Steve stop dead in his tracks, and my heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t scared of me… I could tell she was actually worried to be away from me. I looked down at my feet to hide my bewilderment… When I looked back up I tried to reassure her, but I couldn’t stop myself from rambling. 

"Um, we just thought you’d be more comfortable with her. She’s the closest in age to you… and she’s really nice and cares a lot for people. I think you’ll really like her. I can go get her, you can meet her now.”

_Wow_ , Bucky, _real smooth_. I went to leave, hoping to save myself from more embarrassment and get Wanda, but quickly stop and turn around when I hear her say, 

"No! Wait it’s fine! I just was wondering.” Her eyes were wide as saucers, and the heart monitor she was hooked up to beeped faster… I wasn‘t sure how to react, but I knew I wanted her to relax, so I stepped back into the room and told her where my room was. I wanted to tell her she could come up to Steve and I’s floor whenever she wanted, but I wasn’t sure what Steve would say.

She seemed to relax as I talked to her. When I was about to turn to leave she said, "Oh, okay… Um, do you want to sit until Dr. Banner comes back? Uh… I don’t want to be alone right now. I get really jittery when I have to take Albuterol and with the… other thing… I really don’t want to be alone.” 

To say I was surprised would be an understatement, but I could tell she was still scared. When she bent her head down to look at her hands, I looked back at Steve. He didn’t seem exactly happy about it but nodded his approval. I walked towards the young girl who somehow trusted a known assassin and sat in the chair beside her. When she looked up at me with a wide smile, I couldn’t help but smile back…  Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach.

When she stared to panic again, I helped to calm her down… Grabbing her hands, and feeling butterflies again when she didn’t flinch at the cool metal. 

“Doll, you will be fine. We will help you, I know this is scary… coming to a place you don’t know, but I- we will help you.” 

I winced slightly at my little slip-up, but noticed the small smile on her face.

I kept talking to her, telling her stories from the past… Only happy ones, like Steve throwing up on the cyclone or how my sister’s first word was ‘Bucky’.

Her hand was still holding mine. My metal hand laying in one of her palms and the other stroking the plates… I couldn’t help but smile while talking… This girl that I had just met, wasn’t afraid of me… no, she was comforted by me.

I felt her hands grow heavy and her breathing even out. When she had fallen into a deep sleep, I saw Steve walk into the doorway with a boyish grin on his face.

I wasn’t sure what to do, but when Wanda stepped around Steve and told me to pick Y/n up and follow her, I started to panic.

‘I can’t carry her! What if she wakes up and freaks out?! I can’t just pick her up without her consent guys!” I whisper-yell at Steve and Wanda.

Wanda walks toward the bed and lays her hand on Y/n ankle. 

“Believe me,” Her accented voice says, “She is in a deep sleep… I won’t read her thoughts but her emotions say that she feels perfectly safe around you Лев.”

Steve grins at me, “You still think you scare her? She asked you to stay with her, held the hand you hate, and fell asleep with you next to her. You make her feel  _safe_ Buck… not in danger. It was stupid of me to think you'd frighten her...We just need you to take her to her ROOM.”

Steve emphasized the word room, obviously trying to make up for locking her in the medbay. 

I look back down at Y/n’s face. She looked younger in sleep, all the stress of what is going on with her shows on her face when she was awake, in sleep it all disappears. 

I tuck a piece of her h/l h/c hair behind her ear and simply nod in response to Steve and Wanda’s questioning looks.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! I planned for this to just be a one-shot but if you want more let me know!


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